My interest was piqued by Marriott’s invitation to join today’s hard hat tour of their Grand Ballroom. Reported to be the largest pillar-less ballroom in the Philippines, this was going to be a most sought after venue, and I was excited to see it.

According to Bruce Winton, general manager of Marriot Hotel Manila, the Grand Ballroom would fit 2,500 people seated for a banquet or 4,500 guests for a performance or concert.  With 20 meeting rooms and state of the art equipment, it would be perfect for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions/special events (M.I.C.E.) events. I was surprised to learn that several weddings have already been booked there, well in advance of its slated March 15, 2015 opening.

Together with industry stalwarts from the travel and tours industry (Felise of T.R.I.P.S. Travel, Kristine of Shroff and Joanna of Rajah Tours) and accompanied by Arangkada Philippines’ John Forbes, we donned hard hats and masks to enter the site where construction was in full swing. Dust swirled about us and sparks flew from soldering equipment as we carefully navigated the site, avoiding metallic sheets being carried and gingerly stepping over heavy wires on the floor.  Everywhere we went, work hummed as busy-bee construction crew raced to meet the deadline.

Amazed at the massive high-ceiling ballroom on the second floor, we noted six sky boxes on the fourth floor overlooking the ballroom. Equipped with their own private toilets, these sky boxes could each fit 12 guests. Imagine having your own private party with special guests enjoying a concert from way up there.

Lights would be retractable, according to JP Gutierrez, senior sales manager for MICE at Marriott Hotel Manila, who kindly toured us around.  Catwalks marked the divisions where the ballroom could be divided into four smaller 700 sqm ballrooms.  My imagination was in full swing thinking of all the events that could take place there, from international conferences and exhibitions to concerts, and social gatherings. Finally, Manila would have a fitting venue for large scale employee engagement events!

Outside the ballroom, a large hallway ran the length of the structure… a massive pre-function area for exhibits, cocktails, pocket events, and the like.   Looking through the floor length glass windows, you could see Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

On either end were two smaller functions rooms that could accommodate up to 200 guests, perfect for weddings and social events. East and West, they were called. Parking would be a breeze with three parking levels available.  On the ground floor, three restaurants would cater to the needs of exhibitors and organizers. Marriott Hotel Manila however, would be the sole caterer for dining requirements in the function rooms, but with the delicious repast we just had, that seemed just right.

Dusty and hot from our hard hat experience, we went back to Marriot Hotel Manila, to be pampered with cold towels and cold refreshing water.  Now, if only my fairy godmother could wave her wand and fast track the opening to February, John and I would be grinning like Cheshire cats.

Here’s a YouTube video from the Marriott Manila channel for a “Grand Sneak Peek” on things to come http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bTJHva_mdI.

Pretty nifty, right?